"Where's Dane?" Tria asks from behind me, and I squeal while jumping.
I'm so on edge that anything could give me a panic attack right now.
"Sorry," she says with her brow raised. "I didn't mean to be late, but no one woke me."
"What are you doing here? You should be resting, or going to the hospital to get checked out."
She shakes her head, swatting away my concern as though I'm overreacting.
"I wouldn't miss this. I've been excited about it for weeks now."
"Why are you so excited? You know what, never mind. That's not important. Why the hell is Pete Mercer running you off the road?"
I plant my hands on my hips, staring expectantly as she lets out a frustrated sigh.
"Because I had him arrested. He was bothering me five years ago. It was so bad that I had to get a restraining order. A piece of paper didn't scare him off, though. He showed up at my house; I hid under my bed after he broke in; and when he gave up and left, I called the cops.
"My security cameras didn't catch him breaking into my house, but they did catch him hopping over my gate. That was enough to prove he'd gone against the restraining order. The cops found him and followed him, but it just so happened he was in the middle of a drug deal. He was just a low man in the ring, and he turned over evidence to get a lesser sentence. Now he blames me for his trouble in prison and with the drug ring he was involved in. They want blood. Fortunately for me, they just want his blood and not mine."
Tria has an extra scoop of crazy to deal with, and I had no clue.
"Why didn't you say something? I could have talked to Kode. He knows all sorts of FBI agents and policemen. Not to mention, all of my boys are Sterlings. They can have Pete kicked out of this town."
She holds her hands up, stopping me from continuing.
"I don't want them or you involved. So don't tell them, please."
Oh shit. She doesn't know they know. Crap. I guess Eleanor didn't want her to know they were there when Tria called.
"Umm... They—"
Arms slipping around my waist interrupt me from telling Tria about why the guys are late, and I turn to meet Dane just as his lips come down on mine. I tug him to me, deepening the kiss and slipping my tongue in when he gives me an opening.
I ignore all the surprise gasps of the onlookers who are witnessing the overly showy display, because I've been so damn worried. And I don't care how improper it is to make out in front of a ritzy crowd.
Dane smiles against the kiss while pulling back. "Sorry I'm late. And I'm really sorry I have to end this right now, but we will definitely continue soon. Come on," he says, grinning bigger as he tugs my hand.
"Where are we going?" I ask, noticing my other four boys coming in from the side and heading toward the ribbon in front of the large building.
"You're cutting the ribbon."
I stumble when I try to stop because he keeps pulling. "Dane, I can't," I hiss, trying to keep up. "This is you
rs."
"You're cutting the ribbon. Come on," he urges, still grinning like he didn't just come back from dealing with Pete Mercer.
I can't argue and keep up, so I follow at his brisk pace, desperately trying to figure out a way to get out of this. But as soon as we reach the backside of the podium, Dale and the guys wrap me up, taking turns hugging me.
What's going on?
Kode wraps me up and kisses my cheek, surprising me a little. He's been cold since Dane and I made it official. But he seems oddly relaxed right now. He and Maverick stand on either side of me, both of them keeping an arm around me.
"What's going on?" I whisper, looking up at Kode.
He just gives me an enigmatic smile while shrugging. "Guess you need to listen and find out."
Then Dane starts speaking into the microphone, and all my attention goes to him.